Wednesday, December 21, 2011

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET rings in our New Year - MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET comes to Tampa Jan. 3-8!

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is the smash hit Broadway musical, inspired by the true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.

On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians were gathered together by Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ’n’ Roll” at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions of all time. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET brings that legendary night to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations.

This thrilling musical brings you inside the recording studio with four major talents who came together as a red-hot rock ‘n’ roll band for one unforgettable night. Don’t miss your chance to be a fly on the wall of fame... at MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Love, Loss and What I Wore will be at the Straz Center, Jan. 10-15 and we have official word on who will be in the Tampa cast!

Emily Dorsch from In The Next RoomDaisy Eagan from The Secret GardenSonia Manzano from Sesame StreetLoretta Swit from M*A*S*HMyra Lucretia Taylor from NineThis intimate collection of stories by Nora and Delia Ephron has entered its second smash year at New York's Westside Theatre. Like the popular book, the show uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to, creating one of the most enduring theatergoing experiences in New York and now across the country.

Monday, December 05, 2011

The $330,717 gross of the Sunday, Dec. 4, concert by international superstar Janet Jackson smashed the StrazCenter’s long-standing record for gross of a single performance. A concert capacity crowd of 2,548 was on hand in Carol Morsani Hall for Jackson’s Number Ones, Up Close and Personal World Tour. Jackson gave the ecstatic audience two encores that capped an evening of greatest hits that included “The Pleasure Principle,” “Control,” “Nasty,” “Escapade” and “Rhythm Nation.

The previous record of $215,748 was set on Sept. 3, 2003, by Mariah Carey.

Friday, December 02, 2011

A Christmas Story, The Musical! has partnered with Metropolitan Ministries for a holiday toy drive. You can save $20 off* select remaining seats for the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday evening performances when you donate a new, unwrapped toy at the Straz Center ticket office. This offer is available in price levels 1 and 2. One discounted ticket per donated toy. Limit 4 discounted tickets. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability.

If you’d like to make a donation but are attending a different performance of A Christmas Story, The Musical,! or you already have your tickets to the show, you still can. Donation bins will be available prior to all performances of the show.

And don’t forget, Wednesday night is Broadway Family Night! Come early for pre-show activities and a special post-show talkback with members of the cast!

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Josh Ritter was the last Club Jaeb artist. More are coming! See the full line up here!

New 'Live at the IveaghGardens' Double CD/DVD Available for Pre-OrderVideos from DVD Now Online, Plus Get a Free MP3!

In July 2010, Josh Ritter and The Royal City Band performed a two-hour show at the IveaghGardens - a beautiful park of public gardens - in Dublin, Ireland. This was the first time there have ever been a rock show held there. And this 2 CD/1 DVD set is the result of that show.

This is now available for pre-order in North America! Official release date is December 13th - perfect timing for holiday gift giving and receiving.

And what's a great movie without popcorn? That's why the next 250 pre-orders will receive a free bag of special RoyalCity popcorn! We'll update the above pre-order page when those run out.

SEE SONGS FROM THE DVD ONLINE NOW........... As an added treat, we've already posted two videos - two full songs - online for all to see. And we're gonna keep adding two videos every week - one on Mondays and one on Thursdays - until after release day! Watch the concert's opening song, "Lantern," as well as "Change of Time" from the DVD now - and be sure to share! We'll be nudging everyone via Twitter and Facebook when the next videos go up. Enjoy!

GET A FREE MP3 FROM THE DOUBLE LIVE CD ALBUM............. Another added treat! We're giving away one of the tracks from this new double live cd album: "Lantern" is all yours. Download your free mp3 by clicking HERE. And again, enjoy!

The concert is included in the schedule of events for the2012 TampaBay Black Heritage Festival

WHERE:Ferguson Hall at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts

DETAILS:Already proven as a talented, sought after songwriter and revered platinum-selling artist, Marsha Ambrosius, a former member of the English soul/R&B duo Floetry, is meeting the next challenge in her already impressive musical career by reinventing herself as a solo artist with her J Records debut disc Late Nights & Early Mornings.

On Late Nights & Early Mornings, Ambrosius offers a candid glimpse of her life and perspective as a woman. Inspired by musical icons like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Prince, she concedes there is an overall male influence in her songwriting, such as the assertive sentiments heard on hits like “Say Yes.” She explains, “My pen and my point of view has a certain aggression to it because I’ve listened to a lot of male influenced music, which I think makes me one of the most outspoken writers out here. Sometimes as a woman you don’t wanna say what’s on your mind for fear of being judged. But why wouldn’t I say it like that if that’s how I felt?” Musical peers recruited to contribute to the project include Alicia Keys, a reunion with Dre and Vidal (producers of “Say Yes”), Just Blaze and Focus.

Regularly priced tickets start at $24.50 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside TampaBay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org. Tickets purchased for the Dec. 1 concert will be honored at the Jan. 12 show. Refunds are available through Dec. 2 for those not wishing or unable to attend the Jan. 12 show.

DETAILS:Tony Lucca’s sixth studio album Rendezvous With the Angels finds the performer crafting his most thoughtful, tuneful and mature work. The album includes appearances by Lucca’s 2009 tour mate Sara Bareilles (who duets on “Back to Me”) and Lady Antebellum guitarist Jason “Slim” Gambill (featured on the bonus track “Nobody But You”). The songs on the new recording, mostly written on the road during a busy touring schedule, demonstrate new growth and fresh perspectives.

On Gift Horse, their second album for Vanguard and fifth studio effort overall, Stephen Kellogg and his band mates (or SK6ERS as their loyal fans fondly refer to them) — Kit “Goose” Karlson (keys, bass, vocals), Brian “Boots” Factor (drums, vocals) and Sam “Steamer” Getz (guitars, vocals) —bring the rich legacy of American rock and roll into the present tense. This is thrilling music, muscular, immediate and life-embracing, steeped in tradition but addressing the present moment boldly and eloquently.

Regularly priced tickets start at $28.50 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside TampaBay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org.

Those already holding tickets for the Dec. 19 concert by Lucca will soon receive tickets for the Lucca/SK6ERS concert in the mail. Before Dec. 19, refunds may be obtained at the point of purchase for those not wishing or unable to attend the show on March 6.

DETAILS:José Carreras occupies a privileged position in the music world. Born in Barcelona, he studied music in his hometown and in 1970 started his professional career in the Gran Teatre del Liceu of Barcelona with Nabucco and Lucrezia Borgia. His meteoric musical career resulted in early debuts at the world’s most prestigious opera theaters and festivals and over time he has collaborated with the world’s most renowned conductors.

Carreras, together with his colleagues Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, offered to the world the now legendary The 3 Tenors concerts in the 1990s and early 2000s. With a worldwide audience of more than two billion, they created an unprecedented impact in the world of opera.

Regularly priced tickets start at $49.50 (a very limited number of VIP tickets, which include a meet and greet with Carreras, are available for $150) and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org. Please note on-sale dates.

The rest of the 2011-2012 Opera Tampa season, presented by Homes by Helen, features the double bill ofCavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci (Jan. 27 & 29, 2012) and Aida (April 20 & 22, 2012). The season also includes two performances of the Fond Farewells Concert (Feb. 18-19, 2012), celebrating Maestro Anton Coppola in his final season as artistic director. Additionally, Opera Tampa will present international opera superstar Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 4, 2011) in concert at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

(October 14, 2011 – New York, NY) – Bestselling authors Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow announce today the release of a landmark debate about the conflict between science and spirituality moderated by one of the world’s most famous journalists, Larry King.

The debate will be released on Deepak Chopra’s YouTube channel in four parts over the course of four days, available starting Tuesday, October 18th at 7pm EST. There will be a live chat following the final episode. Deepak Chopra’s YouTube channel is available at: Deepak Chopra Global YouTube as well as at his website DeepakChopra.com.

Two of the world’s foremost authorities on spirituality and science, Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow face off on some of the most fundamental questions that have intrigued humanity for hundreds of years, including how the universe began, where life comes from, and whether or not Darwinism fully explains evolution. Their YouTube debate series was inspired by their collaboration on War of the Worldviews: Science vs. Spirituality, a new bookpublished by Harmony Books on October 4, 2011.

In the YouTube debate with Larry King, Mlodinow defends his controversial position that science does not -- and cannot -- conclude that God is an illusion. And Chopra explains that his definition of spirituality is separate from organized religion. Both agree that a literal view of the bible is an outmoded way of thinking. “This will go down as one of the more important books of this decade” said Larry King of War of the Worldviews.

“We are thrilled that Larry King, one of the legendary broadcasters of all time, has joined Leonard Mlodinow and me for a YouTube event that epitomizes the exciting new ways that authors and thinkers can connect with and engage with audiences around the world.”

The author of over sixty books and nineteen New York Times bestsellers, Deepak Chopra has been widely recognized for his innovative use of social and digital media to share his message. He has nearly 650,000 followers on Twitter (@DeepakChopra) and fifty thousand friends on Facebook. He writes over 200 blogs a year for outlets such as Huffington Post, SFgate.com, The Washington Post’s On Faith site, Intentblog.com, and Beliefnet.com, among others. His own radio and podcast channel, Deepak Chopra Radio on Blogtalk Radio, will debut soon.

“I can't get my message out without adapting to the new landscape,” said Chopra, who tweets every day. "As a group, we writers won’t survive until we figure out how to place books in the global conversation, and YouTube represents one great way to accomplish this."

Leonard Mlodinow received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of California at Berkeley and currently teaches at Caltech. His books include Feynman's Rainbow, Euclid's Window, and The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, which was a New York Times Bestseller, Editor's Choice, and 2008 Notable Book of the Year. Mlodinow is the writing collaborator of Stephen Hawking and co-author of the recently published The Grand Design, a book that argues that invoking God is not necessary to explain the origins of the universe.

Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP books have been translated into more than eighty languages. Dr. Chopra is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Adjunct Professor of Executive Programs at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and Senior Scientist with The Gallup Organization. TIME magazine has described Deepak Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." He also has a multi-media speaker series HomeBase, a physical and a virtual salon he created with ABC Carpet & Home CEO Paulette Cole. His new reality TV show "Dinner with Deepak" will air on the SyFy Channel.

DETAILS: President Clinton served the United States for eight years during a time of unprecedented prosperity and change. Now, President Clinton is a powerful voice for progress around the world as he shares his unique insights and observations with audiences around the world. President Clinton’s public speeches describe the challenge of globalization, emphasize our growing interdependence, and point the way toward a common future based on shared goals and values.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside TampaBay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org.

Events, days, dates, times, performers and prices are subject to change without notice.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Works from the Museum’s permanent collection on display at The Straz through August 2012

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The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to partner with the Tampa Museum of Art to present studio glass and contemporary paintings from the Museum’s permanent collection. The glass exhibition, which includes works by Dale Chihuly, Toots Zynsky and Dante Marioni, is on view through August 2012 in the lobby of the StrazCenter’s Ferguson Hall.

In addition to the glass works, the Tampa Museum of Art has loaned a collection of large contemporary paintings by William Pachner and Richard Protovin that are on view on the mezzanine level of the Ruth Silbiger Lobby of Carol Morsani Hall.

“We are so thrilled to partner with the Tampa Museum of Art,” said Judy Lisi, president and CEO of the StrazCenter. “This kind of collaboration is important for the cultural identity and health of our city. We look forward to future projects and an expanded relationship.” Todd D. Smith, executive director of the Museum, added that “this loan of works continues the Museum’s commitment to providing access to its collections, exhibitions and educational programs in a wide variety of locations for a growing audience.”

The exhibitions are open before all Ferguson Hall and Morsani Hall performances, during regularly scheduled tours and by scheduled appointment.

Zynsky’s Night Street Chaos from the series Chaos, fused and thermo-formed glass threads,1998

The contemporary painting exhibition includes:

Pachner’s Great Sunday Beach from the Florida Series, oil on canvas, 1963; Landscape of Crisis, oil on

canvas, 1965; and Landscape, oil on canvas, 1976.

Protovin’s The Garden of Tops, oil on canvas, 1990; The Flag, oil on canvas, 1990; and Light-Kami, oil

on canvas, 1990.

The StrazCenter consists of five theaters, three restaurants and the Patel Conservatory. The 335,000 square-foot facility, which opened in 1987, provides an environment for a wide variety of world-class events. It boasts one of the nation’s leading Broadway series and is nationally respected for presenting a wide variety of concerts, performances and events and for its resident company Opera Tampa.

The Tampa Museum of Art opened its new award-winning home in 2010 with a commitment to providing innovative public programs with a strong focus on modern and contemporary art. The Museum balances a growing collection with a dynamic annual schedule of special exhibitions. It is the region’s largest museum devoted to art of our time and has built a reputation for embracing contemporary photography and new media.

The Museum’s 14,000-square-foot LED installation on its façade [Sky (Tampa)] is on its way to becoming an iconic image for the city of Tampa. Since its founding in 1979, the Museum has been dedicated to providing quality education to students and adults, with more than half of its programs offered free of charge. More information about the Tampa Museum of Art can be found at www.tampamuseum.org.

DETAILS:Love, Loss and What I Wore, an intimate collection of stories by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, is based on the best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman as well as the recollections of the Ephrons’ friends. The production opened Oct. 1, 2009 to rave reviews at New York’s Westside Theatre, where it continues to play.

Like the popular book, Love, Loss and What I Woreuses clothes, accessories and the memories they trigger to tell stories that women can relate to.

Regularly priced tickets start at $38.50 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside TampaBay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Bill O’Reilly - IT'S TIME FOR THE TRUTH - Straight Up Whether you like it or not, Tampa will never be the same

Sunday, March 11, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets on sale Friday, Sept. 23, at noon

Bill O’Reilly’s show, The O’Reilly Factor, on the FOX News Channel has remained the highest rated cable news show for 11 straight years. More than 300 newspapers carry his weekly column, and more than five million copies of his six non-fiction books are currently circulating, including his latest bestseller Pinheads and Patriots, which came hard on the heels of his deeply personal memoir, A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity.

Audiences across America first met O’Reilly when he worked at CBS News and ABC News and when he hosted the first version of Inside Edition. But it was when he landed at FOX News in 1996 and began The O’Reilly Factor that he achieved his current national and international stature and enormous following.

Among many awards, O’Reilly has won three Emmys® and a special 2008 Governor's Award from his BostonUniversity colleagues.

Regularly priced tickets start at $47.50 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside TampaBay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

THE STRAZ CENTER : BOEING BOEING AUDITIONS

The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts is holding auditions by appointment for the Tony Award winning Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti, to be presented as part of the Straz Center Broadway Series. Producer: Straz CenterDir: Greg Leaming, Associate Dir: Jonathan Van Dyke

BOEING BOEINGThe debonair Bernard, an architect living in Paris, is juggling relationships with three vivacious flight attendants-- each one believes she is his only girl. All goes until his friend Robert arrives for a visit, and the airlines decide to change their schedules! Chaos and fun take off as Bernard’s clever plans unravel. The Boeing Boeing Tampa engagement is high-flying fun! Boeing Boeing recently enjoyed a successful Broadway revival with 279 performances.

ALL ROLES OPEN: All must have strong comedic skills.Bernard: (Early 30’s-40’s) Handsome, great verbal skills, a playboy who begins the play unable to believe his good luck and ends it desperate to get out of this lifestyle. Possibly ready to admit he’s too old for all of this.

Robert: (Early 30’s-40’s) Bernard’s best friend and school chum. Fresh from the farm, innocent, naïve, and wide eyed. He is the opposite of Bernard – as insecure as Robert is assured, and as naïve as Robert is experienced. Together, he and Robert make up a classic comic duo – both sides of the male coin.

Gloria: (Mid 20’s-30’s) Strong, aggressive, very self assured. A combination of Midwestern homespun good spirits and the new, sexually liberated woman of the late 60s. Absolutely committed to her own perspective on the world.

Gabriella: (Mid 20’s-30’s) Passionate, sensual and extremely aggressive. A hot headed experienced woman, able to go from sex kitten to tigress in a moments notice. Very Italian, a la early 60s Italian cinema. Dialect skills a plus.

Gretchen: (Mid 20’s-30’s) Tall, leggy, German woman – a Wagnerian temptress who often struggles to fit the role of the innocent housewife. The most insecure of the three women, although her innate passionate response to the world makes her seem the strongest and the most terrifying. Dialect skills a plus.

Bertha: (40’s-50’s) A very efficient, extremely organized housekeeper who is quickly losing her grip over the household. She most definitely believes she is the star of this household, and has a very clear idea of what she is owed by all inhabiting it.